In regions where the path of cultivation hadn't truly flourished, a common belief persisted: only a rare few possessed the ability to craft elixirs, tonics, and pills.
To become an alchemist was seen as a nearly divine calling—one that required exceptional talent, extensive knowledge, and, most importantly, vast resources. First, one had to study a wide variety of spiritual plants and understand how they interacted with one another. Then came the even greater hurdle: the wealth needed to practice, to experiment, and to inevitably fail—over and over again.
For that reason, only the great sects and noble families could afford to train alchemists. In the beginning, having an apprentice alchemist was like owning a leaky pouch of gold—resources vanished with little to show for it. But if that apprentice ever succeeded in refining pills of decent quality, the returns were immense. A skilled alchemist could generate wealth and influence far beyond that of many cultivators.
In his previous life, Lin Tian had held the same misconceptions. He had always viewed alchemists as unattainable, far removed from his station. For many years, he spent outrageous amounts of gold buying low-quality pills just to slowly push his cultivation forward. It wasn't until he reached higher realms of understanding that he learned the truth: alchemy wasn't a monolith. It was divided into various levels and categories, and one didn't need to become a grandmaster to make use of its basic principles.
When a cultivator came into possession of a rare spiritual plant, they had a few choices. The first—and most crude—was to consume it directly. This method yielded minimal benefit, as much of the plant's medicinal energy would go to waste. But in places where alchemists were rare or unaffordable, it was still useful. Better some benefit than none at all.
It took Lin Tian years to realize this simple truth. One day, during an adventure, a companion casually asked him why he didn't just eat the valuable plant he'd found. He'd felt like a fool. Maybe he wouldn't absorb its full potential, but at least he wouldn't risk losing it to some shady alchemist. After all, it was not uncommon for high-ranking alchemists to "fail" a refinement and keep the spiritual plant for themselves. They'd apologize, bow politely, and say the refinement was unsuccessful—and there was little anyone could do about it. Their prestige protected them.
The second method was true alchemical refinement. This was the path of the real alchemists—those who could extract a plant's essence, combine it with other ingredients and catalysts, and create potent pills with powerful effects. This method produced the best results, but it was also the most demanding. It required precise control of spiritual energy, knowledge, tools, and countless hours of practice.
The third method, however, was what had truly surprised Lin Tian when he first learned of it.
It was a kind of middle path—an informal form of alchemy. In this method, spiritual plants were steeped in hot water along with complementary herbs, creating low-grade elixirs. The results weren't as potent as proper pills, but far superior to simply chewing raw ingredients. With only a basic understanding of herb combinations, a cultivator could create brews that provided a noticeable boost.
In this life, Lin Tian had the knowledge. After all, he had lived for centuries and had studied deeply. By the standards of this undeveloped region, he could already be considered an alchemist. He was preparing a plan in his mind. It was easy for him to prepare better elixirs and pills to get some money.
But there was a catch. Right now, his mental energy was weak, and his spiritual reserves were still too low to perform true alchemical refinement. And he didn't even own a proper alchemical cauldron.
So, he came up with a simple, pragmatic solution.Instead of a cauldron, he would use what he had—his bath to prepare the first herbal solution. Later on he would need other resources to improve his cultivation but this would give him the push to speed up the first steps and improve his body rapidly.
First, he filled the tub with hot water. Then, little by little, he began adding the various low-grade spiritual herbs he had gathered from the market. As the plants dissolved, a soft, herbal fragrance began to rise from the water. He stirred patiently, adding ingredients with precision. Most of the plants he had purchased were now steeping in the bath. Only two things remained beside him: the Flesh Mushrooms and the Deep Purple Candles. People in this realm were truly ignorant. They didn't realize that those cheap candles—commonly used to repel insects—were made from a plant with powerful catalytic properties. In the right mixture, they could greatly enhance the potency of a solution.
After an hour of heating and stirring, the liquid had thickened, the aroma grown richer.
Now, it was time for the final step.
With a swift motion, Lin Tian dropped half of the Deep Purple Candles into the bath.
Instantly, the candles began to melt, their wax dissolving into the warm infusion. As they blended into the solution, the color of the water shifted—gradually turning a deep, vibrant violet.
For the next seven days, Lin Tian barely left his room.
The warm, fragrant bath became his temple, his sanctuary. Morning to night, he remained submerged in the violet-hued water, letting the homemade elixir slowly seep into his body through every pore. The concoction wasn't perfect—far from the precision of a real alchemist—but it worked. And that was enough.
Each day followed a strict rhythm. He would rise just after dawn, eat a small meal to keep his body functioning, then return to the bath. When fatigue overcame him, he would sleep on the floor beside the tub, his skin still damp from the brew, his body continuing to absorb what it could. Occasionally, he'd stir the mixture or add more hot water to maintain the temperature, keeping the solution active.
Time blurred into a haze of warmth, herbs, and meditative silence. The sensations were subtle at first. A faint tingling in his skin. A dull warmth spreading through his limbs. But by the third day, he could feel the transformation accelerating. His flesh began to feel denser, it was absorbing spiritual energy. A bit went to his muscles that felt more defined even without training. His senses sharpened—he could hear further, feel the vibrations in the floor, and even detect the faint auras of passing cultivators beyond his window. He was absorbing months if spiritual energy in a couple of days.
But more than anything, he felt pain. A constant, low-burning ache beneath the surface of his skin. His body, unused to such rapid refinement, strained to adapt. The solution was forcing change following the beast codex. Tendons stretched. Muscles spasmed. It was as if every cell in his body was being torn down and reforged—stronger, harder, more alive.
He endured it all in silence. He cultivate inside the bath, revolving his true essence according to the [Nine Tribulations Wolf Demon Codex]. He endured—immersed in the mix of herbs and melted wax, letting the concoction slowly purify his outer shell.
On the morning of the seventh day, something changed. As he sank once more into the now-thickened brew, his body suddenly locked up. A jolt of energy surged through his limbs, followed by a sharp, searing pulse that spread from his chest outward. His breath caught. His vision blurred. For a moment, he thought he might pass out.
And then—it passed. His muscles relaxed. The pain vanished. A cool sensation, like a mountain breeze, swept over his entire body. He opened his eyes slowly, his senses sharper than ever. He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers. His skin was no longer just hardened—it was more refined. Sleek, durable, radiating faint vitality. He punched the side of the tub lightly and heard a solid crack echo beneath the water. Not enough to break it, but more than enough to prove the difference.
Flesh Refinement. The second stage of body cultivation.
He smiled—not the cold, grim smile he so often wore, but something rare and genuine.
It had taken a week, but he had taken the next step on his path. Slowly. Quietly. As Lin Tian stared into the now-lukewarm water of the tub, he noticed that the deep violet hue had completely faded, replaced by a murky, dull gray. The energy had been spent, absorbed into his body—and with it, the impurities within him had been drawn out, expelled into the bathwater like toxins shed from a snake's skin.
He would, of course, prepare another bath, recreate the process with the same plants and waxes. But the effect wouldn't be the same. The first cleansing was always the most profound. Repeating it might help push him slightly closer to the third stage of Body Cultivation, but to truly advance, he would need more—stronger ingredients, rarer catalysts and more important, life essense and blood essense from beasts.
Feeling the residual energy still coursing through his flesh, Lin Tian stepped out of the tub and began to stretch, muscles tightening and releasing with satisfying resistance. That was when he heard it—footsteps approaching, light but deliberate. A soft knock at the door followed. He paused, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
His senses had improved dramatically. His hearing, his sense of smell—they had sharpened to almost beast-like levels. It felt strange, disorienting even. In his past life, he had always relied on his spiritual sense to perceive the world. Now, it was his physical body that provided information—real, tangible, immediate. And surprisingly, he was adapting faster than expected.
The door creaked open. His uncle, Lin Shin, stepped inside with a mischievous grin on his face, the kind that always meant trouble.
"Everything alright, Uncle?" Lin Tian asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lin Shin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked around the room, sniffed the air slightly, and let out a laugh.
"I have no idea what you've been doing in here—but I can smell the spiritual herbs you used from halfway down the hall. Whatever that brew was, I think I'd rather not know the details."
Lin Tian chuckled. "I was cultivating. The technique you gave me is incredible. My body adapted quicker than I thought—I've already reached the second stage: Flesh Refinement."
Lin Shin's brow lifted slightly, clearly impressed. "So it's true... I could feel something was different. I didn't expect you to advance so quickly. Then again, your father and I both had strong compatibility with that technique. I suppose it makes sense you'd inherit that talent."
He shook his head with mock exasperation and added, "I came to check on you and see if I could convince you to give up on this path before you hurt yourself. But I can see now there's no chance of that happening.
"I assume you'll be leaving again?" Lin Tian asked, noting the tone.
"Yeah. I've got some business outside the clan. I'll be gone for a few days. Wanted to make sure everything was settled with you before I disappear."
"Where are you headed?"
Lin Shin waved him off. "I'll tell you one day. Just know it's nothing you need to worry about yet. I'll still be around for a couple more days."
"Good," Lin Tian said, stepping closer. "Because I want you to fulfill your promise."
His uncle squinted, clearly pretending not to know what he was talking about. "Promise? What promise?"
Lin Tian gave him a look.
"You said you'd give me spiritual beast meat if I managed to cultivate the technique."
Lin Shin grinned and glanced at the ceiling. "Did I? I must be getting forgetful in my old age..."
"Fine. I was hoping to wait until I was stronger, but I guess I'll just head into the mountains and hunt myself. It's dangerous, but if anything happens to me—just know, I always liked you, Uncle."
Lin Shin sighed, the corner of his mouth twitching. "You little brat… you know how to tug at my heartstrings."
With a wave of his hand, a large bundle wrapped in thick leaves appeared on the table with a soft thud. Lin Tian stepped closer and lifted the covering—inside was a hefty slab of meat, easily over twenty kilograms, deep red and still pulsing faintly with residual energy.
"Fine. Meat from top Grade 1 spirit beasts," he said with exaggerated resignation. "Equivalent to a cultivator at the third level of Qi Gathering. Once you reach the third stage of Body Cultivation, then I'll think about giving you something stronger."
Lin Tian grinned, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Deal."
Lin Shin suddenly stopped on his track and moved his head as if he was listening to something. After a second, he looked back a Lin Tian. ¨Sorry kid, I need to go.
Without another word, Lin Shin turned and left the room, the door closing behind him with a quiet click, leaving Lin Tian alone once more.
Despite his uncle's joking reluctance to part with the beast flesh, Lin Tian knew the truth—such low-grade materials held no value for a cultivator like Lin Shin. The energy contained within them was far too faint to offer him any real benefit. But for Lin Tian, who was still in the early stages of his path, they were a rare and valuable gift.
This was exactly what he needed.
In both the [Nine Tribulations Wolf Demon Codex] and the [Heavenly Devouring Panther Technique], there were specific sections detailing the consumption of beast flesh to strengthen the body. These weren't just recipes or common dietary advice—they were complex techniques that transformed something as basic as digestion into a form of cultivation.
The process was simple in theory, but demanding in execution. While consuming the beast flesh, one had to circulate their energy along specific meridian paths outlined in the manuals, guiding the life essence directly to their muscles, bones, and blood. This method allowed cultivators to extract far more nourishment from the meat than an ordinary person ever could.
Lin Tian had planned to use a similar method with the Flesh Mushrooms, and now, with the addition of true beast meat, he would take the next step.
But before that, he needed time. His body was still brimming with residual spiritual energy from the herbal bath. The energy hadn't fully settled into his flesh yet, and rushing into the next phase without properly absorbing it would be a waste. So for the next few days, Lin Tian remained within the confines of his room consolidating his cultivation, keeping a low profile while focusing entirely on his cultivation.
Each day followed a strict rhythm.
He would begin by consuming small portions of the beast meat, chewing it slowly, carefully, as he activated the circulation techniques from the [Nine Tribulations Wolf Demon Codex]. The meat, dense with primal life force, would release its energy into his body, and he would guide it with practiced precision, allowing it to fuse with his strengthening muscles. Between meals, he alternated with doses of the Flesh Mushrooms, which had a similar effect—though milder, they helped smooth the transition between different energy types.
During this time, he barely left his room except to grab a few meals from the kitchen or sleep a little when his mind felt too fatigued to continue. He sat for hours in meditation, his skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat as his body toiled invisibly, drawing in the last drops of power from his recent bath and the food he consumed.
Though he hadn't yet broken through to the third stage of Body Cultivation—Organ Refinement—he could feel himself getting closer. His muscles felt denser, more compact. His bones sturdier. His senses, already sharper after the bath, had become even more refined. He could hear conversations across the courtyard, smell the difference between various herbs in the kitchen from behind closed doors.
No, he hadn't advanced yet. But the gap was closing. Inch by inch, breath by breath, he was carving the path forward with patience, discipline, and hunger.